Geranium plant named &#39;Zolmagiro&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new  Geranium  plant, particularly distinguished by the pink-orange flower color, dark green foliage, very nice plant structure with very compact round plant habit, and very good branching.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Pelargonium zonale (L.) L'Hérit. ex Ait

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

‘Zolmagiro’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Geranium, botanically known asPelargonium zonale (L.) L'Hérit. ex Ait, and hereinafter referred to bythe variety name ‘Zolmagiro.’

‘Zolmagiro’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar‘Zolmagiro’ has large, semi-double flowers, is relatively vigorous, butwith a well-branched growth habit, and has good heat resistance.

‘Zolmagiro’ originates from a hybridization in a controlled breedingprogram in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The female parent was anunpatented hybrid seedling identified as ‘H2181-4’ with scarlet redcolor, very well branching, and floriferous. The male parent of‘Zolmagiro’ was an unpatented hybrid seedling identified as ‘T038’ withscarlet-orange color, not very stable in color, and not very vigorous.

‘Zolmagiro’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny ofthe stated cross in 2000 in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, TheNetherlands.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Zolmagiro’ was accomplishedwhen vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in theFall of 2000 in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, the Netherlands.

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plantinitiated in April of 2001 in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands, and continuingthereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for ‘Zolmagiro’ are firmly fixed and are retainedthrough successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘Zolmagiro’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical flower and foliagecharacteristics of ‘Zolmagiro’ with colors being as true as possiblewith an illustration of this type. The photographic drawing shows aflowering potted plant of the new variety.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The measurements were taken in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands, in August2005 on plants that were growing in window boxes. Culture of theseplants started mid February, 2005 in the greenhouse; plants weretransferred to window boxes mid May, 2005.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The following observations, measurements, and comparisons describeplants grown outside in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The following traitshave been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basiccharacteristics of the new variety. The combination of thesecharacteristics distinguishes this Geranium as a new and distinctvariety. TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘ZOLMAGIRO’ AND ASIMILAR VARIETY ‘Fisrocky Dark Red’ ‘Zolmagiro’ (U.S. Plant Patent No.12,237) Leaf zoning No zoning Strong zoning Leaf size Small Rather bigFlower color N57B 40A (upper side of upper petal) PLANT Plant height(cm): 8 Plant height (inflorescence included) (cm): 20 Plant width (cm):35 Plant shape: Round FOLIAGE Length (cm): 5.5 Width (cm): 8 Shape:Reniform Base shape: Hastate Base size (cm): 3 Apex shape: Very weaklobes Apex size (cm): 3 Color of upper surface: 137A Color of lowersurface: 146A Color of zone: No zone Color of veins: 144A Margin:Bicrenate Petioles length (cm): 4-8 Diameter of petiole (mm): 3 Leavessmooth and hairy: Only at nerves Texture of leaves: Upper surface smoothVeins: Palmate STEM: Length of internodes (mm): 20-35 Color of stem:144C Diameter (mm): 7 INFLORESCENCE Shape: Round outline Diameter (cm):9 Umbel depth (cm): 4 Length of peduncle (cm): 6-12 Peduncle diameter(mm): 3-4 Color of peduncle: 178A; 144A near umbel Length of pedicel(cm): 1.5-3 Color of pedicel: N144C Number of flowers per inflorescence:20 COROLLA Form: Weakly semi-double type, appears almost as single type.Shape: Round outline, upper petals about the same size as the lowerpetals, flat cup shape Length of flower (cm): 4.5 Width of flower (cm):4.5 Number of petals: 8 Length of petals (upper/lower) (mm): Upper 24Lower 27 Width of petals (upper/lower) (mm): Upper 18 Lower 15 Shapepetals: Obovate, base acute, upper end is truncate or rounded, margin isentire Color upper side of upper petals: N57B Color upper side of lowerpetals: N57B Color lower side of upper petals: 62A Color lower side oflower petals: 61D Number of petaloids: 2 Color petaloids: N166B Fadingcolor when flower starts aging: Yes Duration of flowering: Continuousflowering throughout the Summer BUD (just before opening) Shape: Narrowelliptic Shape base of bud: Truncate Shape top of bud: Acuminate Sepalshairy and smooth: Yes Length (mm): 8 Width (mm): 6 Color: 144A Number ofsepals: 5 Color of sepals: 147A Length of sepals (mm): 10 Width ofsepals (mm): 3-4 REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS Number of lobes of stigma: 5 Colorstigma: 50B Length of style (mm): 5 Color of style: 50C Number ofanthers: 7 Length of anthers (mm): 3 Shape of anthers: Ovate Lengthfilaments (mm): 8 Color of filaments: N57C Pollen present: No Color ofpollen: 32A Fertility/seed set: No

-   Disease/pest resistance: No disease/pest resistance has been    observed to date.

1. A new and distinct variety of Geranium plant, as substantiallyillustrated and described herein.